My buddies and I are all middle-aged low rollers who take a March Madness trip to Vegas every....uh......March. We always stay downtown and for several of those years we've stayed at the Plaza. So we ain't expecting Bellagio.

But never again after our last trip. When we arrived we arranged for the casino rate with the poker room manager. After logging enough hours and getting the slip signed, I went to check out and had to haggle with the desk clerk for 30 minutes because "the code is wrong". And this is my fault how? The other guys checked out separately, had arguments of shorter duration, and we all ended up with different room rates(?).

One night at the blackjack table, the autoshuffler broke and the dealer just sat there for 20 minutes waiting for somebody to tell him what to do. Didn't call the pit boss, didn't start hand shuffling, nothing. Just sat there with his arms folded.

The hotel room itself wasn't terrible, but to get ice......ON A THURSDAY MORNING, mind you.....I had to go to four different floors to find an operational ice machine.

On a positive note, the cocktails come quickly at the tables, and I'll always love the craps games at the Plaza for the rowdy, fun-loving customers. But stay there.....never.